Supporters of a dog named Rambo, now confirmed to be part pit bull, say a peaceful New Brunswick existence proves Ontario’s ban is unnecessary.

Rambo the pit bull was nearly euthanized in 2008 in Ontario. But after a 10-month stay at a Mississauga animal shelter, he was allowed to move instead. The dog, now named Ben, was adopted by Greg Best of New Brunswick.

After being exiled from Ontario years ago, Rambo is living as a Maritimer named Ben.

The dog was almost put down after being labelled an illegal pit bull in 2008. But after a 10-month stay at a Mississauga animal shelter, he was allowed to move instead.

Supporters of the dog, now confirmed to be part pit bull, say a peaceful New Brunswick existence proves Ontario’s ban is unnecessary.

“I could see if it was a dog that was aggressive or had aggressive tendencies, but you could tell just by his demeanour . . . he wasn’t an aggressive dog,” said Greg Best, who adopted the dog more than four years ago.

He’s not ashamed of the dog’s past but said he changed the pup’s name for his safety. “It was such a big deal . . . we never really advertised it,” he said.

Rambo was seized by an animal control officer after he escaped from then owner Gabriela Nowakowska, then 21, on Christmas Day, 2007, fleeing her backyard through an open gate.

Debate ensued for months about the fate of the “alleged pit bull.” The city eventually agreed Rambo could be surrendered to rescue group Ador-A-Bull, and with a city councillor among her supporters, Nowakowska pleaded guilty to unlawfully owning a pit bull.

“I’m just glad that he’s being looked after,” said Nowakowska, adding she thinks owners who train dogs to be violent should be punished rather than all dogs that look a certain way.

Through the rescue group, Lee Anne Tibbo gave the dog a Nova Scotia foster home for a few months, exposing it to different animals and people. She said the dog “just won everybody over” but she fears many dogs caught up in the ban never have the chance to start over.

“He might have been the one who had the most fame at the time, but there’s been so many,” Tibbo said, adding she thinks the costs related to the ban are unnecessary.

Last year, the law faced a challenge through a private member’s bill before the legislature was prorogued. A spokesman for the Ministry of the Attorney General said the department doesn’t have a tally of euthanization or other orders regarding pit bulls.

In Mississauga, city spokeswoman Catherine Monast said there were 16 charges related to pit bulls in 2008. Last year there were four charges but only two convictions, Monast said, adding most related to spaying, neutering or muzzle violations and the charges were withdrawn in cases when compliance was met before a court date.

The Rambo case was a factor in the city changing its procedure to send dogs with good temperament to provinces where they’re allowed rather than automatically euthanizing them, she said.

To find Rambo a permanent home, Tibbo connected with Best. He said he has no qualms about having Ben or his other dog in his home or around his baby, but he’d never leave a dog unattended with a child.

Ben, part Texas red nose pit bull with some boxer in his lineage, is shy and likes to cosy up in small areas, Best said. “You can tell that he was locked in a small area for a long time.”

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